Adjustable generating gamma-block



2 SHEETS-SHEET l G. E. SNYDER ADJUSTABLE GENERATING V-BLOCK fwdor 6220236127. 51g l;

' gaar/zg Feb. 12, 1952 Filed Dec.

Feb. 12, 1952 G E. SNYDER 2,585,594

I ADJUSTABLE GENERATING V-BLOCK Filed DQC. 9, 1946 2 sHEETs--SHEET 2` Patented Feb. 12, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE GENERATING V-BLOCK George E. Snyder, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application December 9, 1946, Serial No. 714,986

8 Claims. l

My invention relates to a new and useful adjustable generating V-block and has for one of its objects to provide a device of this character including a symmetrical holding unit in which a. V-block unit is adjustably mounted for centering the latter relative to the sides of said holding unit.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable generating V-block in which a work-piece may be firmly clamped, then adjusted to a central location and to provide a generating assembly for carrying out the necessary machine operations without the necessity of changing the position of the work-piece with relation to the V-block assembly.

Usually when 'it is desired to accomplish more than one operation on a work-piece in a milling machine, surface grinder, shaper or the like, it is necessary to adjust the work-piece before each and every operation. The use of V-blocks of kinds other than described herein requires considerable time'and labor and entails the risk of error in subsequent adjustments resulting in work spoilage. These disadvantages are entirely overcome by the use of the present invention because when the Work-piece is clamped in the V- block unit, said work-piece is automatically centered relative to certain parts of the holding unit and by adjusting said V-block unit until the work-piece is centered relative to other parts of the holding unit, said work-piece will be centered relative to all flat exterior side surfaces of the holding unit. Thereafter, the apparatus with lthe work-piece therein has only to be turned to various desired angular positions to accomplish all of the required work operations. Therefore another object of this invention is to provide a .simple and effective adjustable generating V- block that insures accurate workV and requires but one initial measuring operation.

. A further object of the invention is to provide an adjustable generating V-block for holding a round work-piece, in particular, centrally of a rnumber of exterior fiat sides of the apparatus 1n-any adjusted relation to said holding unit,

With the above and other objects in view this invention consists of the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use the same I will describe its construction in detail referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of one form of adjustable generating V-block constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is front elevation of the apparatus with a work-piece mounted therein and the V- block unit in a random location relative to the holding unit prior to adjustment.

Fig. 3 is a similar view after adjustment with the work-piece centered relative to the sides of the holding unit.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail section of the V-block unit illustrating one method of connecting the actual V-block and its cross-piece.

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the adjustable generating V-block of slightly diierent configuration.

Fig. 6 is a top side view of the complete apparatus.

Fig. 'l is a section on the line 1--1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a front view of the device shown in Figs. 2 and 3 with the cross-piece inverted for holding very small work-pieces.

In carrying out my invention as herein embodied Ill represents the holding unit of channel shape including a back wall or web I I and a pair of parallel forwardly projecting toes or flanges I2. This holding unit is fashioned to provide a symmetrical structure of three or more flat sides all equi-distant from an axis through the back wall II. For purpose of illustration only, one form of the device, particularly the holding unit thereof, is shown as having four equal sides I3, I4, I5 and I6 while another form, Fig. 5, is shown as having six equal sides Il, I8, I9, 20, 2| and 22.

Through the back wall II is formed a hole 23 the center of which is in the axis of holding unit I0. Slots 24 are also formed through the back wall longitudinally of the channel or in planes parallel tothe inner surfaces of the flanges I2.

The inner surfaces of the holding unit I0 are finished or ground smooth and are absolutely parallel with and at right angles to some of the sides. All or only certain of the inner surfaces may have grooves 25 therein to reduce the area of the surfaces which have to be finished.

Within the channel recess of the holding unit IIiy is mounted a V-block unit 2t which engages the finished inner surfaces and is slidable longitudinally of said channel recess. To hold the V-block unit 26 in any adjusted position, within the limits of the slots 24, socket type screws 2l are projected through the slots 24. and threaded into the V-block unit. By screwing the screws 21 inward the V-block unit will be drawn against the inner surface of the back wall of the holding unit and thereby clamp said V-block unit against the holding unit.

The V-notch 2d is formed in the inner face of the V-block unit and extends forwardly `from the back of the V-blcck structure as a whole. A detachable cross-piece 29 is provided as a part of the V-block unit and in each arm thereof .is formed a hole 3U having counter bores at both ends, Fig. 4. Socket type screws 3| are mounted in the holes 30 and screwed into the threaded holes in the V-block, which holes 3'2 `'are counter bored to receive the wear collars er bushings 3.3. The cross-piece 2S can be used with the arch outward, as in Figs. l to '7, or projecting inwardly, as den Ipicted in Fig. 8. 'Ihe latter position is Vutilized when very small work is to be clamped in the V-block'unit A socket head set screw 34 is threaded through the cross-piece 29 4midway of its ends for engagement with a work-piece 35 and by adjusting said setA screw with the arch of the cross-piece outward various large sized work-pieces may be clamped in place.

As the `operations on 'the work-piece often are related to some other work, such as a punch and die, the work-piece may have a detent at a particular location in the circumference thereof. In order to set the work-piece, a locator or finder, in the form of a rod, is used, which locator is pro* jected through a hole 36 in the V-block 'extending from the base angle of the V-block 28 to the base of the V-block midway the sides of the latter.

Referring particularly to Figs.'2 and 3 it will be apparent that as soon as the work-piece is clamped in the V-block unit said work-piece will be centered relative to the sides Ill and I6 regardless of the position of the V-block unit relative to the sides I3 and I5. As shown in Fig. 2 the Work-piece is central between the sides It and Iii but not between sides i3 and I5. A measurement is taken of the distance between either side Ill or Iii and. the adjacent portion of the circumference of the work-piece, then the V-block unit is adjusted until the distance be tween either side I3 or I5 and the adjacent por tion of the circumference of the work-.piece is the saine as the measurement taken at one of the sides I!! or I5. The work-piece is now centered relative to all of the sides i3, I4, I5 and I6 and the screws 21 are tightened to iirmly hold the V-bl-ock unit in the adjusted position as shown in Fig. 3.

"The position of the V-block unit in the holding unit as illustrated in `Fig. 2 is exaggerated unless the worlvpiece is rather short because it cannot be projected through the hole 23 in the back wali or web II of the holding unit SEI. Ordinarily the Veblock unit would be adjusted to somerandoin position that would permit the work-piece to extend through the hole 23 rather than clamp the work-piece in place for the measurements and afterwards release, and then reclamp said work piece in the V-block unit after projecting 'the work-piece through the hole 23. Thea'pparatus with the work-piece in position may nowbe set Iand automatically position it midway `between the on a machine bed or placed in the supporting elements of a machine and the work operations carried out.

As an example, the device may be placed on one of its sides, for instance, the side I5 and a flat formed on the work-piece. Then by generating the apparatus, successively or otherwise to the other sides I6, I3 and I4, the other desired iiats may be formed on the work-piece. When finished all of the iiats will be even and equi-distant from the axial center of the workpiece.

With some other configuration such, for instance, 'as a six sided device illustrated in Fig. 5, the work-piece is clamped in the V-block unit while the latter is in some random position at the center of the Aholding unit. Then by adjusting the V-block unit longitudinally of the channel until the distances from the opposite sides Il and 26 to the adjacent portions of the circumference of the work-'piece are equal, said workpiece will be centrally located relative to all of the sides. Thereafter, the apparatus with the work-piece therein is generated or rotated, step by step, from one lat to another and each opn eration accomplished while the device is resting on one of the sides. When the work is completed, the iinished product will have flats that are all the same and equi-distant from the axial center of the work-piece.

While I have described the generating V-block as used in a machine for performing work on an article, said generating V-block can be employed as a holder for a work-piece on a work bench for laying-out purposes as Will be readily understood.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact details of construction herein shown and described as these may be Varied within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having described the invention what I claim as new and useful is:

1. In an adjustable generating V-block, a plural sided holding unit having a channel with its longitudinal center equi-distant from at least two opposite locations on the border of said holding unit, and a V-block unit to support a work-piece slidably mounted in said channel whereby when said work-piece is `carried to a position midway the length of said channel due to adjustment of the V -block unit the said work-piece will be equidistant from all of the sides of the holding unit.

2. The structure of Vclaim l wherein the holding unit has a hole in the back thereof through which the work-piece may be projected.

3. The structure of claim l, in combination with meansto hold the V-block unit in any adjusted position.

4. The structure of claim '1 wherein the V-block unit has a locating hole running from vthe base of the V-block to the base angle of the V recess.

5. An adjustable generating V-block consisting of a channel holding unit of polygonal outline providing a plurality of flat vsides two of which are equi-distant from the longitudinal center of said channel and all of said sides equi-distant from the axial center of the Aholding unit, and means in said channel to support a work-piece two sides which are equi-distant from the longiwork-'piece equi-distant from the remaining sides at which time said work-piece will be central of' all sides.

6. An adjustable generating V-block consisting of a, channel holding unit of symmetrical polygonal outline providing a plurality of corresponding flat sides two of which are equi-distant from the longitudinal center of said channel and al1 of said sides equi-distant from the axial center of the hodling unit, said holding unit including a back wall and flanges the inner surfaces of which are smooth finished and the back wall having a work-piece receiving opening and slots communicating with the channel recess and said slots extending longitudinally of said channel, a V-block unit mounted in the channel to support a work-piece and automatically position it midway between the two sides which are equi-distant from the longitudinal center of the channel, said V-block unit being slidably adjustable in the channel to locate the work-piece equi-distant from the remaining sides of the holding unit at which time said work-piece will be central of all sides, 'and screws projected through the slots and threaded into the V-block unit for retaining the latter in any adjusted position.

7. The structure of claim 6 wherein the V-block unit has a locating hole therein communicating with the base of the V-block proper and the base angle of the recess in said V-block.

8. In a device of the kind described, the combination of an adjustable generating V-block including a holding unit of polygonal outline providing a, plurality of at sides and having a channel, two of said flat sides being equi-distant from the longitudinal center of said channel and all of said sides being equi-distant from the axial center of the holding unit, a V-block unit provided with a V recess and slidably mounted in the channel, a work-piece having a detent in its surface clamped in said V-block unit, means to adjustably fasten the V-block unit within the channel whereby the center of said work-piece is held in the axial center of the holding unit, and a, locator removably projecting through a hole running from the base of the V-block to the adjacent base angle of the V recess and into the detent in the surface of the Work-piece for centering the latter.

GEORGE E. SNYDER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 989,005 Hanson Apr. 11, 1911 1,257,475 Gapp Feb. 26, 1918 1,262,405 Sutherland Apr. 9, 1918 1,535,570 Bryant Apr. 28, 1925 2,240,688 Conner May 6, 1941 2,356,591 Jesionowski Aug. 22, 1944 2,422,773 Colwill June 24, 1947 2,449,459 Eckert Sept. 14, 1948 

